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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 18) that in view of a notification from the United States (US) authorities about an outbreak of low pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza in Merced County, State of California, the US, it has banned the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the county with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public health.
A CFS spokesman said about 267 000 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 530 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the US last year.
"The CFS has contacted the US authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health on avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:32
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